The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-06-12
WALTER REsANT.
A Staff Correspondent Has Chat
With the Great Novelist.
: From the philadelphia Press.


From the Philadelphia Press.
LONDON, May 1S.-Iast Saturday the
name of Walter Besant was on everybody's
lips. He was, indeed, the man of the hour
The Palace of Delights described in his
novel with purpose had at least in part
been realized and the Queen of England had
gone into the East End of London to open
it. Some wealthy man named jerks, or
jenkins, or Jennings, it is true, carried off
the titled honors and was knighted for his
experiment, but the people of England
frankly and fairly gave the credit of the
conception of the Peoples Palace to the
author of IAN Sorts and Conditions
of Men" and the Children of Gideon" But
is this conception to be carried out in the
various imposing structures now completed,
and in course of completion, on the five
acres of land acquired for this purpose in
the Mile-end road. In such an undertaking
involving the expenditure of upwards of
$500, 900, subscribed by all sorts of men,
under all sorts of conditions, it is not for a
moment to be supposed that the institution
when completed will resemble the palace of
delights which Mr.. BAsant's rich heroine is
supposed to have planned and built with her
own fortune.
On the Thursday previous to the opening
of the Peoples Palace / was invited by a
friend to meet Mr.. Besant at lunch As
there was but one other guest present | was
afforded a long wished-for opportunity to
converse with Mr.. Besant on the phase of
his work which has gained for him a posi-
ton in the hearts of the people of East Lon
don which no other English novelist ever oc-
cupied. | found him to be a man whose
broad, sturdy frame, ruddy skin and clear
blue eyes conveyed an impression of health
and strength. The shape OF his head and
even his features and the shape of his
hands indicate the worker as well as the
thinker. There is certain sense
of comprehensiveness about him and
when he speaks or moves it is with a GER
tain force and decision that tells of a man
who sees his end and works for it. Mr.. Be-
SAINT lives in the beautiful suburb of Hamp-
stead, the favorite neighborhood of the
scholar and the artist, in quiet way, for
he cares little for society. As the Secretary
of the Society for the Exploration of Pales-
tine, he is at his Office in the city at 10 a. M,
and rarely leaves before 4 p, m. His liter
airy work is done early in the morning and
late at night. When the entire days work
is done Mr.. Besant takes quiet pipe, and
under its modifying influence retires. He
never smokes during the day
In the Golden Butterfly" it will be re-
membered that Mr. Besant and Mr.. Rice
give some extraordinary sketches of Ameri-
can editors, especially Chicago editors, who
are represented as working with cooked PTS
tolls and sharpened bowie knives, etc 1t
happened that the other guest was a refined
and rather delicate-looking lady, who for
some years was a writer on the editorial
staff of the Chicago Inter Ocean, and as nv
own connection with that paper was known
to the host, he facetiously remarked on in
Producing us:
'Mr Besant, author of the Golden But
terfy,' permit me to present two Chicago
editors"
Mr. Besant saw the joke at once and
joined heartily i'll the laugh saying "Now,
really, S., that is too bad. l ought not
to be held responsible for Rice, who, you
know, did all those wild American stories
in my books" And then turning to the
two Chicago editors" he greeted us in a
most cordial manner, remarking that some
day he hoped to see the United States with
his own eyes and write about its people
from notes taken by himself. Until then
we must forgive him for some of the exag-
gerations which appeared in one of his
earlier works.
AS the Queen was to open the Peoples
Palace within three days and Mr.. Besant
was himself to be presented to her majesty,
the conversation naturally drifted onto Mr.
Besant's noble work in East London In
credit himself, though his anxiety to have
the Peoples Palace place where the people
can amuse themselves as well as instruct
themselves is apparent.
In reply to the question: "What first
suggested the East End as a field for nov
elist?" Mr.. Besant said: 'The idea first oc-
CURED to me in my walks through that di-
vision of London. 1t has been my habit for
years to spend good deal of time On all
- nd In nj No%I
ing interests me so much. Then the East
End is comparatively urexplored field by
the modern novelist"
1t was, indeed, fortunate for the 1000 900
souls who occupy this part of London, and
whose wretched homes and dreary lives are
being ilnperfectly pictured in the ''Toilers of
London" that Mr.. Besant directed
his footsteps in that direction. No
matter what the outcome of the Peo-
Piles Palace is, the attention of the
empire has been called to the breadwinners
of East London, and much has been done,
and much more will be done, to improve
their condition. God knows they needed
some one to champion their cause. They
literally have no amusements except the
vicious music hall, the wretched theatres
and the dreary mission halls. The only
palaces they have are the gin palaces, and
they abound everywhere 1t will be neces-
sary to teach these people how to amuse
themselves in wholesome way. In gener-
atoms of toll, of sorrow and of neglect they
have lost the faculty of amusing themselves.
1t is not certain, however, that the Peo-
pies Palace, when completed, will combine
instruction with amusement in a manner
that will prove very attractive to popula-
ton of this kinda population that must
first be taught how to play. In its present
shape the Peoples Palace is primarily an
institution for technical education Nearly
half the money has been, or will be, ex-
pended on the site or the trade schools
Another 10000 is to be spent on the
library -Four weeks ago the trustees had
nothing actually subscribed for the social
portions of the buildings though the techni-
cal and educational branches were all pro-
vided for. 1t has been truly observed that
up to the present the delight is Of some
what severe character, and there is nothing
in it that man of Milton's cast of mind
might deem unworthy to make him happy
Organ recitals, concerts, gymnasia and
swimming bath are temptations to some,
but il is doubtful il the average dweller in
East London cares much about entertain
ments Of this sort.
The religious element among its pro-
motors wanted to fly the temperance flag
week days, and bolt and bar the entire in
stitution up on Sundays. On the other
hand, those who knew the real RNerits of the
people regarded this a mistakes The dis
pute ended in a compromise. The institu-
r.. 49,.